Songbird on Blooming Plum Tree

Name: Songbird on Blooming Plum Tree
Brand: Ogawa Shodo
SKU: 6442
Price: 410.00 EUR
Availability: InStock

Kakemono, unique work, with box, 133 x 66 cm

Product number: 6442

Height 133 cm
Width 66 cm
Item Type Kakemono
Jikusaki Ceramics
Material Honshi Washi (Rice Paper)
Period of Creation Shôwa (1926–1989)
Technique Hand-Painted
Unique Work Yes
Wooden Box Yes

Signature / Stamp:

Ogawa Shodo

€410.00

Available, delivery time: 1-3 Days

Description

A small bird with delicate yellow-green plumage rests on a gnarled, blue plum branch, surrounded by an abundance of rosy blossoms with bright yellow stamens. The branches sweep elegantly across the image, while the background is kept in soft gray tones, allowing the intricate composition to stand out especially well. In Japanese tradition, this motif symbolizes early spring, resilience, and the gentle beauty of nature just awakening from the cold.

The kakemono bears the signature and seal of Ogawa Shodo, an artist of the Showa period who was devoted to classical kacho-ga painting. In this era, many painters cultivated traditional techniques with a sensitive eye for observation, rendering natural motifs with emotional warmth and fine attention to detail. Ogawa Shodo's works are valued for their clear line work and harmonious coloring.

Painted on washi paper, the piece unfolds a light, breathable texture that brings the delicate petals, the bird's glossy feathers, and the rough bark of the branch vividly to life. The unusual jikusaki made of ceramics lend the work a refined, handcrafted touch. It comes with a signed wooden box. This hand-painted unique work brings the poetic freshness of the Japanese spring into any room and is especially suited to lovers of traditional bird-and-flower painting who value subtle elegance and natural grace.

Frequently asked

Does this piece come with a wooden box (Tomobako)?

Yes, this work is delivered with a wooden box.

Does this work carry a seal or signature?

Yes, this piece carries the signature or seal of Ogawa Shodo

When was the work created?

Based on the previous owners' information and the condition of the object we place it broadly in the Shôwa (1926–1989) period, but cannot give a precise date.

Is this genuine craftsmanship?

Yes, this piece is a genuine handcrafted original that exists only once.

Why does the date of creation sometimes not match the artist's dates

Because the two pieces of information speak about different things: the period designation describes the object – support, colors, condition – while the signature reflects which name appears on the painting. In most cases there is no attempt at deception behind this, but rather Japanese painting training: copying from workshop models was the curriculum for centuries, an utsushi is regarded as a bow to the teacher, workshops signed with the master's name, and artist names were passed down within a school. Such a hanging scroll is therefore not a forgery, but a hand-painted one-of-a-kind that continues the formal language of its school – just not the work of the famous name, and priced accordingly. We explain this in detail in the guide Why does a kakemono often bear the signature of an artist long deceased?.